A critical issue in the conducting of core biopsies is the accurate location of suspect tissue (hereinafter referred to as a lesion), and thereafter the accurate guiding of the biopsy needle to the lesion. Sophisticated methods and apparatus have been developed for core biopsies in connection with mammography.
Stereotactic breast biopsy involves the taking of a first radiographic image of a lesion in a breast, moving the breast or x-ray tube a known distance and then taking a second radiographic image of the lesion in the breast, so that the x, y and z coordinates of the lesion site in the breast may be calculated.
Once the location of the lesion has been confirmed, most biopsy needles and their associated biopsy guns are computer-controlled to drive the biopsy needle to the calculated position in the breast. The use of such equipment is expensive and time consuming, and cannot be justified in small practices.
New methods are required which avoid the high cost associated with computer-controlled equipment, and which may be conducted relatively quickly and efficiently, whilst maintaining accuracy of the biopsy.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for core biopsies which reduces the abovementioned problems or at least which provides the public with a useful alternative.
Other objects of the present invention may become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only.